Defibrillators are medical devices for providing life-saving electrical therapy to persons experiencing an irregular heart beat, such as ventricular fibrillation (VF). A defibrillator provides an electrical stimulus to the heart in an attempt to convert the irregular heart beat to a normal sinus rhythm. An external defibrillator sends electrical pulses to the patient's heart through external electrodes applied to the patient's chest.
The typical external defibrillator is capable of being powered by external power, via a power adapter. The power adapter may power the defibrillator directly, or recharge a rechargeable battery of the defibrillator. Because defibrillators are intended for use in life-threatening medical emergencies, their power adapter must meet high standards of safety and reliability. A defibrillator designed for use by ambulance crews and in hospitals typically will use power adapters designed specifically for that particular make and model of defibrillator.
Typical external defibrillators have a useful life longer than that of their power adapters. This necessitates the purchase and deployment of several replacement power adapters over the useful life of a single defibrillator. An external defibrillator owner may find several sources from which to purchase after-market power adapters which are configured to operate with the defibrillator, at least nominally. However, if an after-market power adapter is not manufactured to the appropriate quality standards, the performance of the defibrillator may suffer and safety may be compromised. Unfortunately, whether a particular power adapter meets standards and specifications set by the defibrillator manufacturer may not be readily apparent simply by examining the outward appearance of the power adapter.